Industrial minerals

Industrial minerals are vital to a modern economy – they underpin manufacturing industry, construction and agriculture – they also have important environmental applications. The Mineral Planning Factsheets provide key information on minerals that are of economic importance to Britain, including a wide range of industrial minerals.

The following table of UK minerals production data shows the importance of industrial minerals.

The need for indigenous fluorspar production in England

In partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), BGS has published a research report on ‘The need for indigenous fluorspar production in England’. This report examines the contribution of indigenously produced fluorspar to the English economy and the likely economic impacts on the chemical industry in England should production cease.

Brick clay

Bricks are an important building material and are one of the most visible components of the built environment. The ODPM commissioned the BGS to carry out research into planning issues related to the supply of clay raw materials to the brick industry in mainland Britain. The report, Brick Clay: Issues for Planning. Executive Summary, details recommendations for a number of changes to the planning process for the supply of brick clay, which aim to provide the brick industry with a sustainable supply of raw materials at the least cost to the environment. Detailed findings and recommendations are set out in the technical report, Brick Clay: Issues for Planning, which is aimed at specialists in the brick industry and planning community.

Fireclay

BGS was commissioned by the British Ceramic Confederation (BCC) and the Confederation of UK Coal Producers (CoalPro) to produce a brochure on Fireclays in Ceramic Production. For further information please contact BCC or CoalPro.

Ball clay

Ball clays are a vital raw material in the manufacture of high quality ceramics. The restricted distribution of ball clay resources in the UK has led to a number of difficult planning issues. This is the case in the Wareham Basin of East Dorset where working of the internationally important deposits of ball clay is severely constrained by extensive landscape and nature conservation designations.

The ODPM commissioned the BGS to undertake a study of the inter–relationships of the mineral, land–use and environmental resources of the Wareham Basin. The research included detailed geological mapping, drilling, sampling, analytical work and the collation of data on the environmental constraints. The reports, maps and databases are intended to deliver information that will assist sustainable resource management, planning and policy development in the Wareham Basin.

To supplement this research thematic maps on a scale of 1:30,000 have been produced.